Why I switched back to an AT&T iPhone

Look, I have been dreaming about a Verizon iPhone since the original announcement was made in 2007. I’ve always admired Verizon’s insanely solid and reliable wireless network, even before it was Verizon (someone tell James Earl Jones I said what’s up). I had the first digital phone Verizon Wireless offered (following countless analog phones prior to that), and I’ve had many more since then. But I switched away from Verizon Wireless as soon as I saw that the handsets available in Europe were becoming more advanced, because these new phones typically didn’t become available from Verizon for months or even years later, if at all. As soon as I saw that I could switch my SIM card from phone to phone myself, I was on a tear — first on T-Mobile, then AT&T when I realized how much better AT&T’s coverage was in my area, even five years ago.

During all of this, however, I always knew that Verizon’s network was better than any other wireless network in the United States. Why? Not because it was the fastest or because Verizon had the best phones (that’s arguable in today’s day and age), but because Verizon worked wherever you wanted it to work, whenever you needed it to work. In Vermont in the middle of nowhere? Verizon Wireless has a signal. Driving across the country? Verizon’s got your back.

Fast forward to 2011: I was sitting at the Verizon iPhone event liveblogging, and I was ridiculously excited for what was about to be announced (plenty more people were excited as well — BGR crashed for 40 minutes due to the sheer number of people checking the site for the latest updates). My favorite smartphone, the only phone I choose to use day in and day out, was going to be available on the best damn network in the country — finally! I pre-ordered it at 3:00 a.m. on February 3rd, and then sat and waited for FedEx to deliver it days later. Side note: the friendly FedEx delivery person had me write my name on a piece of paper saying that I received the phone since FedEx had so many Verizon iPhone shipments that day that their system crashed.

I opened the phone, and connected it to iTunes, and saw the waiting for activation message. It failed. Three times. No worries — after turning it on and off, my phone was up and working, and it was time to go drive around to all the places my AT&T iPhone failed miserably and test things out.

The Verizon iPhone 4 performed decently at first, though I was quite surprised that Verizon had dead areas in most places AT&T did up in Connecticut. How could this be possible, I thought to myself? I have the best phone on the best network. I needed to head into Manhattan for a couple meetings that day, so, let’s just see how it holds up on the drive down, I told myself. First phone call on I-95? Dropped. What made things worse was that I was stuck on 2G a lot of the time, even in the heart of New York City once I was out and about.

How is this happening?

Well, after a couple calls to Verizon Wireless — and everyone I spoke with was extremely helpful — it turned out my phone didn’t fully activate. I believe the PRL and roaming configurations weren’t updated properly, and after I reprogrammed the phone (something most people won’t ever have to do, as iTunes discreetly does this on first plug-in), I was doing much better. Or was I?

After the “fix” was performed, I still saw 2G on the Verizon iPhone as much or more than I had seen EDGE on the AT&T iPhone that I have used for years (I realize it’s not the same exact phone — I’m referring to the signal quality and coverage). Back in Connecticut, I was still experiencing dropped calls, and it was almost comical. “Dude, I thought you got a Verizon iPhone finally?” I did… it’s just… not that different.

In the end, my personal experience with Verizon’s iPhone in and around New York City ended up being about the same as it was when I was on AT&T. This, combined with other advantages AT&T’s network has, has made me finally decide to switch back. Literally moments before I wrote this article, I synced up my Verizon iPhone and restored it to my AT&T iPhone (I can do this because the OS on the Verizon iPhone is lower than the AT&T iPhone — if I ever wanted to switch back, I couldn’t restore my data until the Verizon iPhone OS is updated to version 4.3). I missed the ability to talk on the phone while data is still flowing (even though I hate talking on the phone). I missed AT&T’s extremely fast data speeds. I missed knowing that if I ever travel outside of the country, I don’t have to get a new phone (even though I hate flying — no, seriously, try me). I missed feeling like I’m in the digital age instead of the stone age.

It’s just true. One of the reasons Verizon’s network is so expansive and solid is because it’s old. Verizon has been building this same network out for ages and so it seemingly stretches beyond any other — but it’s built on an aging and extremely outdated cellular technology. Verizon is in the midst of rolling out its incredible new LTE network in an effort to get with the times, but until then, I’m tired of CDMA. I’m tired of the limitations. What network powers my MiFi? Verizon. What network has the most reliable and robust data offering? Verizon. What network do I want on my iPhone? For now, and I believe for the foreseeable future, it’s AT&T.

Once the iPhone 5 comes out this summer, I’ll reevaluate things. Apple has stepped up its game in the radio and antenna department with each new iPhone release, and the company is practically confirmed to continue using Qualcomm chips (one of the reasons AT&T has had so much trouble with the iPhone is due to Apple’s use of Infineon-baseband chips). But for now, if I’m going to drop just as many calls on Verizon’s network as I do with AT&T, there’s just no reason to give up all of the other perks AT&T’s iPhone 4 affords. I want to talk and surf the Web at the same time on a super-fast data network, and roam internationally, and enjoy the latest iPhone OS, and have my voice calls come through instantly, and hold conference calls with more than two other participants at a time… so I’m back with AT&T.

pretty sure, regardless of carrier, that the Iphone experience will be dismal at best.

Gofuckus

GO FUCK U SELFT.!!! verizon in number one .!!!!

ATT PAY YOU.!!!!!

ATT IS A PICE OF YOU KNOW .!!!

Anonymous

Dude take your pills and improve your grammar. Oh, and lose the caps.

Brunkster

If it’s not working for you, you’d be a fool not to switch back. For me, the Verizon iPhone is a miracle phone. Of course I jumped from an iPhone 3G, leaping 2 generations tot the Verizon iPhone 4. Though file download times are slower, it really does work all the time. Web site download times appear to be the same. Streaming audio, Netflix video, all work on my travel to work (I live in the Chicago suburbs). Give the iPhone 5 a chance in July, if you have the patience.

JaGuaR

Sprints Evo..Only 3g and 4g. never lost 3g connection. never lost a single call. love this shit.
..if you dont have sprint. plz dont sit there and argue. thats kinda dumb

Anonymous

BOOM. AT&T just bought T-Mobile.

Nick

Clearly it took courage to write this.

Both networks have areas that need improvement, and both networks have areas that they are definitively better than the competition.

Unfortunately, bashing AT&T has become stylish and venerating Verizon just as much so. It’s not even possible to have a rational discussion any more.

Good job putting your experience out there, even if it led to this type of feedback.

BILLY

I’ve got a Nexus S. So far, it hasn’t dropped a call (although until the latest software revision, 2.3.3, it did reboot randomly, sometimes on a call).

BUMMER that T-Mo is merging with AT&T.

Raygun

Nexus S on Sprint, that is the new way to go, that is the way of the future.

http://twitter.com/heyitsli Lee Yang

you are an idiot… i use voip calls so i call surf the web and be calling at the same time with verizon iphone, plus no sim card is better security from people who steal just pop the chip and steal you att iphone…

http://twitter.com/MrUniq78 Christopher

I can attest to Verizon’s old network technology…here near downtown Atlanta and remote areas the speeds are horrible for 3g and EDGE but along the interstate and large towns it’s pretty good. But I can’t complain atleast the availability is there and it works.

Jay

It’s odd that almost every Verizon user and AT&T switcher seems satisfied. Could it be that you are not going to be satisfied with any carrier? Maybe you are just not happy with the iPhone in general. Verizon has the countries best network. Once it has LTE it will have the worlds best network, but I think you should skip it.

Njts@nutstonuts.com

I had a AT&T iPhone and in NJ it dropped all the time. I do have the Verizon iPhone now and It is great. I no longer have dropped calls. Data rates are more consistent as well. I use the phone around 3000 mins per month.

My point is, my experience is the
Verizon iPhone works just as well as any other Verizon phone.

Anonymous

Great timing. Soon you are going to have 33 million more folks to contend with on your crowded network.

Good luck with that.

Jimmyk0147

i agree 100 percent me and 10 of my buddues did a side by side test and to tell you the truth verizon its all marketing there were alot of places my verizon iphone didnt get any signal data speeds was bad compared to my att iphone so when see that commericail ” can you hear me now”‘ i have to say no i cant hear you now . i think people will all find out phone company is pretty much all the same if one carrier gets signal somewhere the other wont so i feel verizon is full of bs

Anonymous

Brilliant. Finally someone who uses logic and reason. I’m so tired of all the fanboy nonsense. Excellent article.

Ray

Seriously How frequently do you travel internationally? Talk while you browse the web? Super fast saturated AT&T network? 4.3 has been out for about a week? And what are you missing? The wifi hotspot that was already included on the Verzion Iphone 4??! Hmmm…

guppypilot77

The article is so lame “One of the reasons Verizon’s network is so expansive and solid is because it’s old” CDMAONE was rolled in 1995, long after GSM, then CDMA2000 in 2004. Last time I checked At&t 3G, that is their data portion was running on WCDMA and not on GSM. I don’t even know where to begin regarding how misleading this article is. Pathetic!!!

Cellenator

double who cares

http://www.facebook.com/gtechdesigners G-Tech Designers

Now I’m sure you switched back to AT&T because you heard the rumors of the AT&T and T-Mobile merger and you wanted to have that extended coverage on top of the capability to use voice and data at the same time… LOL….

Raygun

The problem is not the network, it is your phone.

Contrary to popular belief, iPhones in every incarnation have been terrible “phones”.

Brutalsnowman

QQ

Stousley

No way… I live in Manhattan and suffered with AT&T for years–close to 80% of calls dropped. I switched to a Verizon Iphone a month ago and haven’t had a single dropped call. Not one! On AT&T a call would drop when I got within 25 feet of my building’s lobby and now on Verizon it doesn’t even drop when I get on the elevator. I haven’t noticed any difference in data speeds, drove from NYC to Wash DC and never dropped a call along I-95 (always had them on AT&T)… well worth the 3 c-notes AT&T charged me for my freedom. My only hope is that with the next Verizon Iphone I will be able to use data while on a call.

Laskdjfasd

who the F* cares i love VZ Iphone

mobilePASSION

“I missed the ability to talk on the phone while data is still flowing”

yeah… right. Just keep drinking the AT&T koolaid marketing hype buddy and make yourself believe it. Even the AT&T commercials can’t come up with a valid reason for this functionality.

Mike

Just keep being Verizon’s sheep

Hudie27

I think this story is bull. I work for Verizon and my center covers the area you are having all these “dropped calls” and every ATT Iphone user who I have talked to that is now on Verizon Iphone say how much better it is. Plus, how did you preorder yours on Feb 3rd coming from ATT when you could only order on the 3rd if you were an existing customer. New customers couldn’t order until the 9th.

http://twitter.com/richie681 Eric Richardson

“Old Technology”. You realize GSM has been around longer than CDMA right?